New Beginnings
by xxxjoxxx
Summary: A collection of one-shots based on promos and BTS for S6. They may or may not follow on from each other.
1. First Day Nerves

**AN: How amazing were those filming photos outside Charles's house?! They were far too awesome to pass up the opportunity of writing a scene that they could be part of! So this is my imagining of the moments leading up to and including the scenes we saw in the photos :)**** Hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

* * *

LIZA

Friday:

"_Liza, I have everything that I want - I'm happy."_

"_Then so am I."_

Friday had been a big day. That was actually a colossal understatement – Friday had been a day of extraordinary change and courageous leaps into the unknown. Charles had stepped down as publisher, assuring her that he was happy about it and ready for a new life with her and the girls. As they'd walked hand in hand through Bryant Park though, she'd worried that the magnitude of what had just happened might be too much, and that down the line he'd come to resent her for it. But they'd gone for lunch, in broad daylight and just a block from the office - because they could do that now, and he'd insisted that whilst he was a little nervous about such a big change, he was happy with his decision and knew it was the right thing to do. He'd never regret being with her or resent her for his own choices: he'd wanted to be with her for so long, and she was the one bright spot in his year. The sincerity in his voice and the intensity in his eyes as he held her gaze and implored her to believe him, allayed her fears.

They'd spent the rest of the day together and she'd stayed the night with him at his brownstone. It had been one of her favourite nights with him - they hadn't done anything extravagant, but it had been perfect. He'd made her dinner and she'd lay on his chest as they watched a movie in the lounge, and afterwards they'd just talked, for hours, about anything and everything. They'd laughed and regaled each other with stories of their lives before those lives became inexplicably intertwined. And as she fell asleep in his arms later on, after he'd made love to her in front of the fire, a sense of peace washed over her. They no longer had to hide their relationship from the world: they were free to be together - in the office, in the street, everywhere - just like he'd said. It was like a weight had been lifted and gave her the renewed hope that this - they, really could be forever.

* * *

Monday:

Liza was not feeling quite so relaxed or peaceful this morning. She was back at her apartment, but strongly wishing she'd taken Charles up on his offer to stay the night at his again. She was nervous. It was her first day back after the major overhaul on Friday and she didn't know what to expect. She was an executive editor now – she still hadn't quite got her head around that yet. When she started out as Diana's assistant two years ago, she would have laughed in the face of anyone who told her that just two years later she'd be an executive editor. It was totally crazy. Charles seemed to have unwavering faith in her though, repeatedly reassuring her that she was ready for this and that he had no doubt she'd do well. She smiled at the memory of him hovering over her on Saturday morning as they lay in bed, definitively telling her _'Liza…you…are…going…to…be…great', _and punctuating each word with a kiss.

Her smile faltered and she sighed however when she remembered she wasn't going to have Charles's calming presence in the office anymore. Whenever she'd had a moment before where she'd doubted herself, he was always there to encourage her. The fact that he wasn't going to be there today when she walked in the door to Empirical/ Millennial…whatever it was going to be called now, on such a big day for her, made her all the more anxious. This job was what she'd been working towards though ever since she started out in publishing, back when she really was in her twenties, and she was determined to make a go of it. She was going to give it everything she had.

Liza bit her lip as she checked her appearance in the mirror, smoothing out some non-existent wrinkles in her dress. She slipped her feet into her new baby blue heels and ran her hands through her recently curled hair. She looked suitably smart and executive – right? Retrieving her phone from the nightstand she quickly typed out a text to the one person she wanted to talk to.

_'Hey, are you awake? L x'_

The three dots appeared immediately, and she only had to wait a few seconds for his reply to come through. _'I am - I was just about to call you. I wanted to wish my favourite executive editor good luck on her first day. C x'_

Liza smiled goofily at his words. She glanced at her watch: 6:45 – she had time. She'd woken up early and hadn't been able to get back to sleep, so had given up trying, meaning she was dressed and ready to go before the sun came up. Getting up early did however afford her an opportunity she wouldn't otherwise have had. _'Can I come and see you before work? L x'_.

His reply made her smile widen. _'Of course. Liza, you never have to ask - I'll always want to see you. Is everything okay though? C x'_

She pulled on her pale pink beanie hat and navy military coat before replying: _'Yeah, I just want to see you. L x'_

Five minutes later she was climbing into an Uber, and thirty minutes later she was knocking on Charles's door. He must've been waiting for her because the door swung open before she'd finished her third knock.

"Hi" she greeted, mirroring the grin on his face.

"Hi" he replied softly. "So you wanted to see me?" he added, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Liza smirked at the teasing look on his face, then shrugged. "I was just in the neighbourhood" she teased back.

Charles chuckled, "How very serendipitous for me." He placed his hand on her waist before leaning down and kissing her tenderly. A soft moan escaped her as his lips lightly caressed hers. She'd missed this, even though it had only been a day. She'd never tire of this feeling.

When he pulled back, he smiled and took her hand, leading her inside. Liza took the opportunity to admire the toned, muscular physique of her boyfriend. His choice of fitted navy sweater and jeans gave her a subtle, tantalising hint of what she knew hid underneath. She blushed when he looked back at her. If he'd caught her checking him out, he didn't let on.

"We seem to have coordinated outfits" she commented as they sat down next to each other at the breakfast bar in the kitchen.

Charles glanced down at himself and chuckled in amusement as he noted their joint navy-ness. "So we have" he replied. "We've erm, always been a good match" he added shyly. He poured them both a coffee before asking softly, "So how are you feeling about today?", correctly picking up on her nerves from earlier.

"I'm excited about the promotion…but I'm a little nervous" she told him honestly. She paused and took a sip of her coffee before adding, "I wish you were going to be there too. I've never known Empirical without you - it's strange that I'm not gunna be able to just walk across the office and make up an excuse to see you anymore."

"You used to make up excuses to come and see me?" Charles teased. Liza blushed at her slip of the tongue. He placed his hand on her thigh as he leant down and murmured in her ear, "I did that too by the way. I already knew where Diana was - I just wanted to talk to you."

A jolt of electricity shot up her spine at the feel of his warm hand on her skin. She giggled in amusement at the thought of him doing the same thing as her, recalling the many times he'd come up to her in the office, enquiring about Diana's whereabouts or asking if she knew when an author was arriving.

Charles took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb softly over her knuckles. "I'm going to see you tonight, and every other night that you'll let me. I'll still be coming into the office too, just not as often." He brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled warmly at her, "You don't need me in order to succeed, but I'll be right there by your side, cheering you on and helping you celebrate your successes." He leant in as he murmured huskily, "And I'm going to start tonight."

A rush of warmth ran through her veins at the thought of what he had in store for her tonight. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into his body. "I'll look forward to it" she whispered softly, her lips brushing his ever so slightly. "You've already started though - you've always supported me, right from the start. Thank you" she added sincerely, wanting him to know she appreciated him.

Charles smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her to him. "No thanks are needed."

Liza returned his smile before leaning down and capturing his lips with hers once again. She lost herself in the kiss and the tender but sensual dance of his tongue with hers. When they broke for air, she caught sight of the clock on the wall and reluctantly stepped out of his embrace. "As much as I'd love to do this all day, I should probably get going – can't be late for my first day in a new job." And she really couldn't think of a better way to spend a day than in his arms, getting lost in him. "I've heard the new Chairman of the Board's quite a catch though, so I'm hoping to run into him soon" she teased.

Charles smirked in amusement as he stood up, "Oh I'm sure you'll be running into him soon, don't worry." He walked with her to the door, retrieving something from his jacket pocket on the way. She stepped out onto the front step after he held the door open for her, then turned back to him, wanting to prolong their time together – even though she knew she'd be coming back here tonight. "This is for you" Charles told her shyly, handing her a small gift-wrapped box, "I was going to give it to you later, but I think you should have it now."

Liza smiled warmly at him, gratefully accepting his thoughtful gesture. "Thank you."

"Open it on your way in to work" he added, as she was about to untie the little purple bow.

Liza grinned and placed the gift securely in her purse. "I will."

Out of the corner of her eye she her Uber pull up a couple of houses down, and her phone beeping confirmed its arrival. She knew she was lingering as she ran her hands up and down his arms, but she needed just a few more moments with him. Yep – she had it bad.

"You're going to be great - you'll be amazing" he assured her softly, leaning into her. "I saw something in you the first time I met you, and you've proven me right time and time again."

His faith in her meant the world to her. "And you trust me to help run your company?"

"I'd trust you with my life" he replied resolutely, and her breath caught at his words. After everything they'd been through, hearing him say that reminded her just how far they'd come.

"Are you okay though?" she persisted, knowing it wasn't just a big day for her, but for him too. "It's the first work day in 15 years you're not going into the office…and it would be totally understandable if you weren't okay."

"Liza, I'm fine – I promise" he assured her, leaning down and kissing her softly. "Now go and be amazing, like I know you're going to be. I'll be right here when you get back."

Liza smiled and squeezed his hand before turning and walking down the remaining steps.

"Wait!" Charles called, just as she set foot on the sidewalk. She turned back to face him and in two long strides he was by her side again. "You forgot something" he explained, and smiled at her confused look. "This" he whispered, and before she knew what was happening, he took her by the waist and kissed her passionately. She gripped his sleeves to steady herself from the heady feeling she always got when he kissed her like that.

They were both a little breathless when they pulled away. "Well I'm glad I didn't forget that" she told him happily as they stood there grinning at each other.

"One more thing" he added, tenderly brushing his thumb over her cheek, "you look beautiful by the way."

The way he looked at her when he said that made her smile widen and a warm blush colour her cheeks. She reluctantly stepped out of his embrace and with one last glance at him over her shoulder, she climbed into the waiting car. Liza waved at him through the window as they drove off, and it reminded her of the morning he dropped her off after their first night together, only this time it was the other way around.

As the car rounded the corner, Liza remembered the gift he'd given her. Retrieving it from her purse she carefully opened it to find a silver business card holder, complete with business cards. She couldn't stop the smile that took over her face at his gift, and the words inscribed on the cards:

_Liza Miller_

_Co-Founder & Executive Editor_

_Millennial Print_

Her eyes misted up as she pulled out her phone and texted him. _'I love it. Thank you! L x'_ ...'and I love you', she thought. She'd known it for a long time, and now she just needed to pluck up the courage to tell him. She'd do it soon - very soon.

As she ran her fingers over the embossed lettering, her nerves disappeared. She had the career she'd always wanted, and she had the man she'd always wanted - the man she loved. Everything was going to be okay.


	2. Brooklyn Nights

AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter :)

This is my version of THAT BTS clip with Charles waking up in Liza's apartment! Hope you like it, and please drop me a review to let me know what you think :)

* * *

CHARLES

Charles blinked sleepily as his eyes gradually accustomed themselves to the daylight pouring in through the blinds. In his not yet fully conscious state, it took his brain a while to register that he wasn't in his bedroom. It only took him a moment though to realise where he actually was: the impressive collection of classic novels on the bookshelf above his head being a dead giveaway – he was at Liza's apartment. It was the first time he'd stayed over at Liza's – they'd been spending their nights at his for the past few days since they'd come out in the open with their relationship, but he could safely say that this place now also had some very fond memories. It had been a very, very, memorable night!

Stretching his gloriously aching limbs, he smiled as he caught sight of the woman he could now officially call his partner, standing in front of the mirror as she carefully put in her earrings. He'd always thought she was beautiful, right from the first moment he met her, but it was simple moments like this that he appreciated just how stunning she really was. The early morning light reflecting off her face gave her an ethereal quality, and his chest constricted at the thought of how lucky he was to have her in his life.

Liza hadn't noticed he was awake yet, so he took the opportunity to creep up behind her. He caught the smile on her face in the mirror as she sensed his presence. He delicately brushed the hair away from her neck and leaned down toward that special spot just above her collarbone that he knew drove her wild. Before he could kiss her though, a sharp twinge in his neck had him jerking his head back up in pain.

Liza turned around to face him with a look of concern on her face and tenderly placed her hand on his side. "Are you okay?"

Despite the pain in his neck, a tingle ran up his spine at the feel of her touch. "Yeah, I erm must've pulled something."

"Oh no!" Liza replied sympathetically as he rubbed the offending area of his neck.

"I think it's your bed" he teased, trying to control the smile tugging at his lips at her look of mock offense.

"What's wrong with my bed?"

"Nothing" he replied, placing his hands on her waist and pulling her flush against him. "I'm just a little long for it."

"This is true" Liza chuckled and wrapped her arms carefully around his neck. He could feel her breath on his lips as she leaned in closer, holding his gaze as she murmured, "Although, it could have something to do with all the strenuous activity you were doing last night…especially that thing you did…"

He grinned widely at her – he knew exactly what she was referring to, and he would happily wake up with a sore neck every day if that were the reason for incurring it! Before they'd got together, he'd dreamt about being intimate with her (more times than he would ever admit), but the reality far surpassed the fantasy. They were totally in-sync, and she had awoken something in him that had been dormant for a very long time. He felt like he was in his twenties again – ironic he knew! The fact that they connected so well intellectually and personally, no doubt had an impact on how incredibly well matched they were sexually. It was like they just knew what each other needed, without any words being required. She was, in a word, perfect for him.

"I'd say it was definitely worth it" he replied, closing the gap between them and brushing his lips over hers.

A moan escaped her lips as she pulled him tighter against her, deepening the kiss. His mind became foggy with lust at the heady sensation, and he wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her back to bed so that they could continue where they left off last night. He knew though that if they did that then they would both be very late, so before he passed the point of no return, he conjured up every ounce of self-control he could muster and pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. They were both breathless, and he noticed that her face was adorably flushed.

"How about we continue this tonight?" he murmured softly, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "I have to go meet Quinn, and you have to go run my company…but afterwards, it's just you and me."

Liza smiled warmly at him, "I like the sound of that. And maybe I'll give you a massage – help work out that kink in your neck."

Charles grinned, "And I like the sound of that."

As Liza finished getting ready, he retrieved his pants from the floor by the side of the bed, pulling them on as he looked around the room for the rest of his clothing. "Have you seen my shirt?"

Liza smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she replied, "It's probably in the lounge – I was a little eager to get you out of it last night!"

Charles ran his fingers lightly across the exposed skin on her back, smiling as he whispered in her ear, "I remember."

He smiled over his shoulder at her as he left her room in search of his misplaced shirt, however a voice startled him before he'd taken more than a couple of steps into the lounge. "Good morning!"

Looking over to the couch and the source of the voice, Charles felt his face flush in embarrassment. Maggie was sitting, one leg crossed over the other, coffee in hand and smirking at him in amusement. They hadn't actually formally met yet – Liza had planned for him to come over this coming weekend for a boyfriend meets best friend dinner…but it would seem fate had plans for them to meet sooner than that. He knew that Maggie was one of the most important people in Liza's life and he wanted to make a good impression with the people she cared about…and so him standing half naked in her lounge would not have been his first choice of scenarios for their first meeting.

Charles had flashbacks to his teenage years and the horror he'd felt when Tori Stevens' mother had caught him trying to sneak out of her bedroom window. At least that time he'd been fully clothed though! "Erm, hi" he replied shyly, running his hands self-consciously through his hair.

"You must be Charles" Maggie offered, standing up and walking towards him. The smile on her face told him she was finding this situation highly amusing.

Charles met her in the middle and shook her hand. "I am. It's nice to meet you" he replied, giving her an embarrassed smile.

"I'm Maggie. I've heard a LOT about you."

The mischievous look in her eyes, coupled with the emphasis she placed on 'lot' told him she wasn't just talking about girly chats she'd had with Liza. It was then that he noticed she was wearing a bathrobe, which meant that unlike what he'd originally presumed, she hadn't got back home early this morning – she'd been here all night. He felt his face heat up and turn an even darker shade of what he was sure was already scarlet. He and Liza had presumed they had the apartment to themselves last night and so had been rather 'uninhibited' with the level of noise they were making. Turns out they weren't alone after all and Liza's best friend had more than likely heard them. If there ever was a time he wished the ground would open up and swallow him, it was now.

Liza chose that moment to emerge from her room and looked equally surprised to see Maggie there. "Maggie! I thought you were staying at Malkie's?"

"We had a fight so I came back last night" Maggie replied, waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh, I'm sorry – is everything okay?" Liza asked sympathetically.

"It'll be fine. I just can't deal with her nosey friends being so up in my business all the time."

Liza nodded, seeming to understand what Maggie was talking about. "I didn't hear you come in."

Maggie smirked, "I'm not surprised."

If he wasn't already blushing, he would be doing so again now. Liza also blushed this time and glanced at him in shared embarrassment. She coughed and attempted to change the subject. "So, I see you've met Charles."

Maggie smiled, "I have. Although I feel like I already know him." She seemed to be enjoying this far too much. Leaning down she retrieved something from the couch and handed it to him. "I believe this is yours."

"Thank you" Charles replied shyly, taking his discarded shirt from her and hastily putting it back on. He felt decidedly better now that he was no longer stood there half naked.

Maggie took pity on him and placed a hand on his forearm. "Sweetie, don't worry about it – Liza's walked in on me doing far worse!"

Liza turned to him with a mock grimace, "It's true. Trust me!"

Charles chuckled and felt himself relax. Whilst Maggie had found great delight in his embarrassment, he got the feeling that she did actually like him – and ultimately that was all that mattered.

The three of them made their way over to the breakfast bar and Liza placed a comforting hand on his thigh as they sat down. Maggie grinned at them as she poured some coffee for the three of them. "So I take it you two had a good night?"

Liza rolled her eyes good naturedly at her best friend. "Okay, you can stop teasing now!"

Maggie chuckled and Charles smiled as Liza joined in. The deep friendship between the two women was obvious, and Charles was glad Liza had had someone in her corner through the years.

"Well this wasn't how I planned for you guys to meet, but I'm glad you have." Liza took one of his hands in hers and intertwined their fingers, then took Maggie's hand with her other one. Her eyes shone warmly as she looked between the two of them. "Along with Caitlin, you're the most important people in my life, so it means a lot to me that you get along."

Hearing her describe him as one of the most important people in her life sent a rush of warmth through his body. He returned her smile and hoped that she understood from the look of adoration on his face that he felt the same way.

"I think we're gunna get along just fine" Maggie replied sincerely. She turned to him and smiled, "If you keep making her smile like that then I'm totally Team Charles!"

Charles chuckled at that and squeezed Liza's hand as he smiled back at Maggie. "I think we'll get along just fine too."

"And by the way" Maggie added, "I knew she was into you before she even knew she was into you."

Liza rolled her eyes and then the three of them laughed as they relaxed into easy conversation. They discussed Maggie's art, which he was truly impressed with, and she asked about his girls. Charles' swelled with pride when Liza smiled and added her own anecdotes about Nicole and Bianca, the morning's previous embarrassment all but forgotten. Seeing how happy Liza was to have him there, emersed in her world, made it totally worth it. Plus, being caught shirtless by her best friend was a small price to pay for the mind-blowing night they'd had last night!


	3. Shots, Showtunes and Sleepovers

**AN: **As always, thank you so much for your reviews for the previous chapter – I really do love reading them :)

This chapter is based on the clip from the S6 promo where we saw Liza, Kelsey and Diana at Marie's Crisis. I've included more of Diana in this chapter as I love her and would love to see her and Liza's relationship develop in S6. …There's also plenty of Charles too (obviously) :)

Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear what you think!

* * *

LIZA

Liza took a sip of her much needed morning coffee as she sat down at her desk and waited for her computer to boot up. It had been non stop in the office for the past four days, ever since the company had literally been turned on its head, with Charles stepping down, Kelsey stepping up and Quinn stepping in. So much change in such a short space of time was pretty exhausting – she was a creature of habit really and had gotten used to Empirical as it had been for the past two years, with Charles at the helm and Diana pretty much his number 2. It was too soon to tell how this new dynamic was going to work, but the biggest adjustment she was having to make was getting used to Charles' notable absence. Countless times this week she'd walked past his now empty office or glanced up from her desk over to the break area, expecting to find him there. It's true what they say about how you don't realise how big of an impact someone has on your life until they're not there anymore, and despite how busy she'd been, she missed him.

Liza rolled her eyes at herself – it wasn't like she hadn't seen him these past four days. She had seen him – every day to be precise, and last night was the only night they hadn't spent together, as she'd promised Maggie she'd spend some time with her. Like Charles had said, not being together during working hours allows them to be together after hours – and they were pretty damn good after hours. He'd become such an intrinsic part of her day to day life though that even if she did see him after work, she still missed him during the day.

Her phone vibrating on the desk snapped her out of her musings and she couldn't stop the smile that took over her face when she saw that it was a message from the object of her thoughts.

'Good morning beautiful'. He finished the text with a heart emoji, and she chuckled fondly as the memory of teaching him how to use emojis washed over her. _"Are you sure you're 42?"_ he'd teased. They'd laughed at the throwback to when he'd asked her if she was sure she was 26, back when she babysat for him the first time and they'd had their first real conversation. If she was honest with herself, she'd felt the spark between them that night, and even back then she'd started to see him as more than just her boss.

'Good morning' she typed back, adding a kiss emoji for good measure.

'I missed you last night' he replied, and it made her miss him that little bit more.

'I missed you too'

'Stay with me tonight' came his quick reply. Only he could make four little words send a shock of heat and excitement shooting through her veins. She could hear his deep, husky voice speaking them to her in her mind as she read them on the screen.

She smirked as she typed back: 'On one condition...'

'Oh so there's conditions now?' She giggled and smiled uncontrollably at his teasing.

'Just one...you provide dessert - I have a craving!'

'You know I'll provide dessert.' Her breath caught as she read his reply – she had a feeling he wasn't talking about cake. She was definitely a fan of his kind of dessert though, and her craving just went up tenfold! Roll on tonight!

Before Liza had chance to formulate an equally flirtatious reply, she caught sight of Diana striding in off the elevator. She smiled and greeted her with a cheerful "Good morning Diana!", but her smile faltered when Diana just gave her a tight nod before disappearing into her office.

Monday morning after the big office upheaval, Liza had drawn on every ounce of courage she could muster and had sat down with Diana and explained how her 28-year-old assistant was actually 42. To her credit, and Liza's surprise, she didn't yell or try to fire her – instead she listened and remained poker faced as Liza told her everything about how and why the age lie came about, trying to get her to understand how she'd never meant to hurt anyone and how much she appreciated everything Diana had done for her. Diana didn't say anything for what felt like hours after, but in reality was probably no more than a minute, and the tension was unbearable as she waited for what she was sure would be an angry beratement headed her way. But it didn't come.

"_Well, I'd like to say I saw that one coming, but I did not. …You must let me know what moisturiser you use." _Liza had chuckled at that remark, but her relief at thinking Diana might actually be okay with the revelation was short lived when she saw that Diana was not smiling. Instead she opened her phone and handed it to Liza. _"Were you going to tell me about this too?" _Liza sighed as she looked down at the email that was open – Cheryl Sussman had forwarded Diana the story about her and Charles that had been pulled before publishing. Ironically, she was just about to tell her about that, just not in the sordid terms suggested in that article. But now Diana would never believe her. _"I should have put two and two together on Friday when you ran out of the office after him. So is this why he stepped down?"_

"_It's more complicated than that" _Liza had tried to reason.

"_It always is" _Diana deadpanned. There was an uncomfortable silence as Diana regarded her, and Liza really wished she would have yelled or gotten angry, anything to avoid seeing the look that was now written all over her face – disappointment. _"I would have expected better from you Liza."_

That had hurt. _"It's not what you think, and it's really nothing like the torid tale that article is making it out to be-" _Liza implored her, pleading with her to try and understand.

Diana was clearly under the same frustrating assumption as everyone else when they first found out – that she was sleeping with the boss to get ahead. But Diana had reached her limit on revelations for the day and was clearly in no mood to listen any further. She held up her hand, effectively ending the conversation. _"I've heard enough. I'm not made of time and I've got a lot of work to do today, so if you don't mind…" _She gestured towards the door then turned her attention back to her computer screen, dismissing Liza.

It was Friday now and the mood had not improved, with Diana showing no chinks in the frosty exterior she'd taken on since Monday, despite Liza's continued cheery greetings and overly enthusiastic attempts at being helpful. She was so used to hearing Diana yell "Liza - coffee!", that the quiet was unsettling.

Feeling deflated she sighed and picked her phone back up. 'Diana still hates me' she texted.

Charles' reply came through a few seconds later: 'Give her time, she'll come around. No one can stay mad at you for too long'.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she read his words. 'I'm not so sure – you didn't see her face.'

'I've known Diana for a long time. She can definitely hold a grudge, but she cares about you – she'll come around. There was probably a time you thought I wasn't going to come around either, and yet here we are.'

Reading that brought a full smile to her face. It was amazing how far they'd come. 'Thank you x'

'No problem. I'll make sure you get double portions of dessert later to cheer you up. X'

Liza snorted in amusement at his reply – he always did know how to make her laugh. 'I look forward to it. X'

* * *

The rest of the day went by in a whirlwind of activity as she got used to her new role, which was essentially Kelsey's old job, and before she knew it, it was 6pm. Gathering her things together she made her way over to Kelsey's office, finding her looking rather lost behind a mountain of paperwork.

"How the hell am I supposed to do this job?!" Kelsey exclaimed, looking more than a little overwhelmed as she caught Liza's eye.

Liza smiled sympathetically at her friend, understanding that even though this was her dream job, it was likely rather daunting to be thrown in at the deep end like this. "You'll do great – I have faith in you. And you can call Charles any time you like if you need some advice."

Kelsey sighed loudly and stood up, grabbing her purse. "I need a drink. And you need to drink with me."

Liza chuckled, "Okay, but just one. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. You're publisher now – you can't be turning up to work hungover."

Kelsey smiled and rolled her eyes good naturedly, "Okay Mom!"

They laughed as they made their way towards the elevator. "Wait, let me just say goodbye to Diana before we leave."

"I thought she wasn't talking to you."

"She's not, but I plan on annoying her with kindness until she gives in and likes me again."

Liza knocked on Diana's door and pushed it open when there was no response. She frowned when she saw it was empty - the lights were off and her computer powered down, suggesting she'd left some time ago.

"Looks like you'll have to save sucking up 'til tomorrow" Kelsey replied.

"I guess so." With a sigh she stared to close the door, but stopped when she heard a noise coming from inside. Stepping into the office she found the source of the noise buzzing on Diana's desk and picked it up. "Diana's left her phone."

Kelsey frowned, "Diana never leaves her phone!"

"I'm worried about her Kels – I think everything with Quinn and the company, and me, and me and Charles, has hurt her. I'd even take scary Diana, like how she was when I first started working here – at least it would be a reaction. Quiet Diana is just unnerving."

Kelsey grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the elevator. "Come on, we'll drop it off at her place on the way – it'll help with your sucking up!"

* * *

With Diana's phone safely in her pocket, Liza and Kelsey stood at the door to Diana's apartment block and repeatedly pressed her buzzer. Much like in her office however, they got no answer. When a guy came out of the door they took the opportunity and went in, making their way up to Diana's door.

"Maybe she's just ignoring us" Liza suggested as they knocked on the door and again received no response.

"No, I don't think so" Kelsey replied, bending down and peering through the mailbox. "The lights are out – she's not in. Maybe she's at Enzo's?"

Liza pulled out Diana's phone when she felt it vibrating. "He just texted her so I'm guessing not."

Kelsey looked thoughtful and then smiled, looking pleased with herself. "I think I know where she might be."

Liza frowned as they squeezed their way down the overcrowded stairs of Marie's Crisis. "Really – this place? A gay bar isn't exactly the first place I'd imagine Diana going."

"Trust me, neither would I if I hadn't seen it before with my own eyes! She's definitely a dark horse – she brought me here to cheer me up after Thad. It was actually a really good night." Kelsey grinned as they heard before they even got to the bottom of the steps, the unmistakable tones of Diana belting out show tunes, together with a bunch of guys. "She's here."

Squeezing through the throngs of drunken patrons, all equally enthusiastic with their performances, they finally made it to Diana. The vodka in her hand that she gestured towards them with in greeting was clearly not her first.

"Ah, Millennial – I can't seem to escape you, even here."

"We brought you your phone – you left it in the office. We thought you might need it" Liza explained, handing her the phone.

"How thoughtful" Diana deadpanned.

Liza sighed and tried once more to get Diana to understand. The bar was so crowded that at least this time she wouldn't be able to escape and would have to listen. "Diana I'm so sorry – you must hate me, and I totally deserve that. I know everything with my age and with me and Charles-"

"Liza!" Diana cut her off in annoyance. Her voice softened as she continued though, "I don't hate you. I mean you've literally turned the office upside down with your personal dramas, which I can't say I'm a fan of." She paused and looked Liza in the eye. "But I don't hate you – I'm just disappointed in you. You've worked for me for two years now and I thought…I thought we were friends."

Liza couldn't have felt any worse hearing Diana's words, and seeing the hurt look on her face. She knew Diana would never normally be this candid and that it was only because of the alcohol that she was being so open. "Diana, we are friends!" Liza implored her, placing her hand on Diana's arm. "There were so many times I wanted to tell you, and I hated lying to you. You mean a lot to me."

Diana swallowed and then averted her gaze. "Yes, well, I need more vodka." She signalled to the bartender and moments later three vodkas were placed in front of them. She gestured to Liza and Kelsey to knock the drinks back, then grabbed their hands and dragged them both into the middle of the floor. "If you plan on staying then you need to be singing!"

Before Liza knew what was happening, Diana had thrown her head back and was enthusiastically joining in with Dolly Parton's '9 to 5'. She glanced at Kelsey who just shrugged and smiled at her. Moments later the three of them were the leading ladies in a slightly off key but definitely exuberant showtunes bonanza.

As they sang and laughed their way through the parts of the songs they didn't know the words to, Liza found herself having a really good time. Two vodkas and four more showtunes later however, she thought it might be time to call it a night, before Diana ended up with the mother of all hangovers in the morning.

"Diana, maybe we should get you home" Liza encouraged.

She looked to Kelsey for support, who thankfully got the hint. "Yeah come on, we'll drop you at your apartment."

Liza and Kelsey took one of Diana's arms each before she could protest and led her towards the door. Diana mumbled something about Millennial still trying to take over, but Liza ignored her.

Getting a decidedly unsteady Diana into their Uber was a feat in itself, but that was topped when she and Kelsey propped her up outside her apartment block as she rifled through her purse. "I appear to have misplaced my keys."

Kelsey took Diana's purse from her and checked for herself. "She's right – there's no keys."

"Of course there's no keys. You may have got publisher over me, but I'm quite capable of determining the contents of my purse!" Diana snapped, but it turned into more of a slur.

Kelsey turned to Liza, "What are we gunna do now?"

Liza pulled her phone out and ordered another cab. "I have an idea."

* * *

As the three of them sat in the back of the cab on their way to the Upper East Side, Liza typed out a text to Charles. 'On my way – I'll be there in 10. Slight change of plans though – I have Diana with me.'

'You worked you magic then?'

'Not exactly – I'll explain when I get there!'

Bringing Diana back to Charles' house was the only thing Liza could think of as she had no idea where Enzo lived, or even if he was home, and Diana was in no fit state to provide that information.

"I've got this – you go home" Liza told Kelsey when they pulled up outside of the brownstone.

Kelsey didn't look too convinced, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, she just needs to sleep it off. I'll see you on Monday."

"Okay, good luck!"

When Charles opened the door, he coughed in an attempt to hide his smile of amusement at the sight of her trying to hold a swaying Diana upright. "You two look like you've had fun."

"She's a little drunk" Liza pointed out the obvious. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do – I would have taken her to mine but here was closer, and Maggie's having a party tonight..."

"It's not a problem" Charles assured her and stepped aside to let them in.

Diana, who had been in a world of her own since the cab ride, looked confused as she noticed Charles and then turned back to Liza. "Why am I at Charles' house?"

"You locked yourself out remember?" Liza told her again.

"Oh" Diana replied and then looked around at her surroundings. "I've imagined turning up here late at night many times…but in my version, Liza wasn't here too" she added, speaking more to herself than either Liza or Charles.

Liza closed her eyes in sympathy mortification for Diana. She really hoped the copious amount of vodka she'd consumed tonight erased all memory of this conversation, as Liza was pretty sure she'd be beyond horrified if she remembered it. Glancing at Charles, Liza couldn't help being amused though at the embarrassed blush that had coloured his cheeks. She was pretty sure he knew that Diana had had a crush on him back in the day, but she'd never verbally admitted it before – and definitely not to his face.

"Maybe we should get you to bed" Liza suggested, guiding Diana towards the staircase. Thankfully she seemed to have zoned out again and didn't put up any protest.

"Eh yeah, the erm, the guest room's made up" Charles offered as Liza precariously began to help Diana climb the stairs. "Do you need any help?"

"Thanks but I think I should probably do this myself – save Diana from putting her foot in her mouth any further!"

* * *

Liza managed to manoeuvre Diana onto the bed, successfully removing her shoes and tucking her under the covers. Unsurprisingly, as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out like a light and Liza shook her head in amusement at the night's turn of events. She really did hope that her and Diana could get back to being friends soon. After leaving a glass of water on the nightstand for her, Liza quietly closed the door and made her way back downstairs.

Charles smiled warmly and greeted her with a kiss as she sat down at the breakfast bar next to him. "Hi" he murmured softly.

"Hi" she breathed, savouring his nearness as she rested her forehead on his.

"You did a good thing looking after her tonight."

Liza intertwined her fingers with his. "I care about her. She was more than just a boss – she was my friend."

Charles smiled, "She cares about you too."

"I know, and that's why she's so hurt that I lied to her" Liza sighed.

Charles brushed her cheek with his thumb, "She will come around." He stood up and went over to the oven, retrieving two plates and setting them down in front of them. "Are you hungry? I figured you probably hadn't eaten."

"I'm starving – I've had nothing but vodka since lunch!" she replied, causing him to laugh. "You didn't have to wait for me though."

"I wanted to eat with you" he told her, and her heart melted at his thoughtfulness.

Liza squeezed his hand in appreciation and smiled widely when she saw what he'd made. "Cacio e Pepe! This has become my favourite meal!"

Charles grinned at the praise, "I'm glad you like it, because my repertoire is still fairly limited."

Liza laughed – she loved moments like this with him, and how easy it was for them to just 'be'. She didn't know how she'd ever lived without him. "Well maybe now I'm around here more often I could teach you a thing or two in the kitchen."

"Oh, I'd say you've already taught me a few things in the kitchen" Charles replied. The mischievous glint in his eye and the slight tug of a smile pulling at his lips told her exactly what he was referring to.

Liza blushed at the memory. She leaned towards him until she could feel his breath on her lips. "Ditto" she murmured and smiled in triumph when he swallowed and his eyes turned that stormy green colour they always went when he was turned on.

The rest of dinner involved them catching up on each other's days, intermixed with sharing heated glances and flirtatious comments. Unconsciously they would find any excuse to share little touches, be it Charles tucking a strand of hair behind her ear when it fell into her eye, their knees brushing under the table, or her drawing soft circles on the back of his hand with her thumb as he proudly told her about Bianca getting an A on her math test at school. She wondered if it would always be like this between them – this intrinsic need to be near each other. She hoped so.

After dinner Liza complimented him on the meal – he really was a very good cook, despite his modesty. She stood, intending to help him clear up, but he gently pushed her back down into her seat, kissed her on the top of her head and insisted he'd got it. She smiled warmly as she watched him load the dishwasher and put things away. Having a man willingly do these domestic things was refreshing, and something she'd never had before. David never washed a plate in the almost two decades of their marriage, and she was pretty sure he hadn't even known how to turn their dishwasher on. And Josh never cooked for her when they were together either – again she wasn't even sure he knew how to cook, as the only food they shared at his place was takeout. Charles was different though – even when they ate at hers, he would insist on helping. It was one of the many qualities of his she'd discovered, and loved.

"What are you thinking about?" Charles asked softly as he tenderly ran his hand up and down her arm.

Liza had been so lost in her thoughts about him that she hadn't noticed that he'd finished and was now stood in front of her. "You" she told him simply.

The smile he gave her at her words, lit up his whole face, and it was impossible not to mirror it with her own.

"All good thoughts I hope?"

"Always."

The happiness on his face was a beautiful thing to witness and she loved that she was the reason for it.

Charles held his hand out to her and she placed her smaller palm in his larger one, marvelling not for the first time about how well they fit together. He kept a hold of her hand as he softly closed the door to his bedroom, before leaning his head down and achingly tenderly brushing his lips over hers. _This man sure knew how to kiss! _If it weren't for his strong arm around her waist holding her up, her legs would have given way by now.

"I've been wanting to do that all day" he murmured, his warm breath on her lips sending tingles down her spine, "I missed you."

"I missed you too" she whispered, and she really had. She definitely had it bad!

Liza got lost in a flurry of sensation as he kissed her again and deftly unzipped her dress, allowing it to slide off and pool at their feet on the floor. She gasped in surprise and her legs automatically wrapped around his waist as he easily lifted her into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently on the silk sheets, never breaking their kiss. She watched in rapt fascination, her desire building as he stood back up, keeping his gaze locked on hers as he undid his buttons and slid his shirt off, shortly followed by his jeans, until he was standing there in just his black boxers.

The reverent look he gave her as knelt on the bed and climbed up her body set her blood on fire. He kissed his way from her collar bone all the way up to her ear and she closed her eyes as the feelings overwhelmed her. When he hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and began to slide them down her legs, she suddenly remembered something.

"Wait! We can't have sex with Diana two doors down!"

Charles chuckled in amusement at the look of panic on her face. "We did in Frankfurt" he pointed out, leaning back down and placing little kisses all along her jaw – which was more than a little distracting.

"That was different – she was more than two doors down then" Liza argued weakly. "Plus, we were in a hotel – she didn't know I was in your room. She knows exactly where I'm sleeping tonight…or at least she will when she wakes up from her vodka induced coma."

Charles pushed himself up onto his hands so he was hovering over her. The soft light from the bedside lamp illuminated his body and only served to highlight his perfectly sculpted shoulders and arms, making him look like some sort of Greek God. He smirked, sensing that her resolve was cracking. She bit her lip, trying to remember what her point had been, but she had nothing. Her lust filled mind had only one point of focus, and that was the image of an almost naked Charles, hovering over her with just inches separating them.

"Okay" Charles said softly, leaning up so he was kneeling at the foot of the bed by her feet. Liza immediately felt bereft at the loss of his body heat. "I was going to satisfy your dessert craving…but if you'd rather wait…" The low, husky tone of his voice, coupled with the carnal look in his eyes set her body alight. Every nerve ending was attuned to him.

A smile tugged at his lips as he looked at her. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he knew that she knew it – but she didn't care anymore. The whole of Empirical could have been sleeping in the guest room for all she cared right now, and it still wouldn't have stopped her from throwing herself into his arms so they were flush against each other, and kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

"On second thought" she breathed when they came up for air, "Diana's out cold, and these walls are pretty thick." Her powers of resistance when it came to him were clearly non-existent.

Charles grinned as he wrapped an arm around her waist and lay her back down. "That they are" he whispered softly, kissing her just below her ear and causing her to gasp.

"But you have to be quiet" she murmured.

"Oh, I don't think it's me that needs to be quiet" He smirked and his lips brushed hers with every word. She slapped him playfully on the shoulder, causing him to laugh. He did have a point. His laughter was contagious, but it caught in her throat when he smiled at her and began kissing a path down her body, starting at the hollow of her neck and leaving no inch of skin untouched. The lower he got, the faster her heart beat, and she gripped the sheets in her fists as he expertly brought her to the brink. She threw her head back on the pillow and bit her lip to keep from screaming out his name as he masterfully left her craving very, very much satisfied.

* * *

_Saturday Morning:_

"I could get used to this" Liza commented appreciatively as Charles placed a stack of freshly cooked pancakes in front of them on the breakfast bar and poured her a coffee.

Charles smiled and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, "I want you to get used to it."

Liza returned his smile, touched at the implication of longevity in his words. "Well I have to say, you're setting the bar very high."

Charles' eyes shone with affection, "Just trying to make my girlfriend happy."

"You've never called me that before" Liza replied softly. They'd never discussed formal terms, but she loved how it sounded when he said it and how easily it just slipped out, as if it was a given.

A blush coloured Charles' cheeks and she smiled at his sudden shyness. "Well erm, that's what you are, right?"

"I am" she replied and intertwined her fingers with his on the table. "And for the record, your girlfriend is very happy."

He beamed, a full-blown smile lighting up his face, and she knew she would never tire of seeing him look at her like that. "I'm very glad."

They chatted happily over breakfast, laughing and sharing little touches as they read the morning paper together. It was surprising, but also not surprising, how natural this all felt. There'd been a connection between them from the moment they met, but despite having only stayed overnight here a handful of times, she felt so comfortable sharing moments like this with him. It felt like a habit – one that they'd been doing for years rather than weeks, and one that she could happily do for the rest of her life.

It was still early – 8:45am the clock on the wall read. Whilst normally on a weekend Liza would stay in bed for as long as possible, especially if Charles was in bed with her, she was determined to be up and fully dressed when Diana woke up. Liza didn't want to bump into her coming out of Charles' bedroom as she was clearly still sore about the revelation of them being together – there was no need to rub it in her face. Charles had found her early morning ramblings amusing and had teasingly reminded her that they were all adults and that Diana probably knew that they'd slept together before. He acquiesced and sacrificed his lie-in for her though, even suggesting they shower together to save time. She chuckled at the mock serious look on his face and twinkle in his eyes. As much as she loved their shower escapades, she pointed out that his idea whilst undoubtedly fun, would be entirely counterproductive in terms of saving time.

Half way through a valiant joint effort on the Times crossword puzzle, helped by some animated debates on a few of the clues, Liza heard a noise and turned to see Diana leaning in the kitchen doorway as she observed them with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Morning Diana" Liza greeted cheerfully.

"Morning" Diana replied, somewhat quieter as she shuffled slowly over to them and sat down on one of the stools Charles pulled out for her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like my brain has been pickled in vodka" Diana deadpanned. "I thought I'd been kidnapped when I woke up…but I figured kidnappers probably wouldn't have such nice sheets."

"You lost your keys" Liza reminded her.

"Ah yes. Turns out not so lost though – I found them in my coat pocket this morning."

Liza smirked, amused at how none of her, Kelsey or Diana had thought to check there last night.

"But thank you" Diana added quietly, "…for not abandoning me to the wilds and leaving me to sleep on my front stoop. I appreciate it."

Liza smiled, knowing that was hard for Diana to say and appreciating that she said it anyway. "You're welcome."

"Would you like some coffee" "Would you like something to eat?" she and Charles asked simultaneously.

Diana looked between the two of them, a small smile on her face. "Yes to coffee, definitely not to food."

Liza giggled at how Diana turned a little green at the mention of food and slid the plate with the remaining pancakes on further away from her as Charles poured her some coffee.

"Thank you" Diana replied. She was quiet for a few moments as she regarded them. "I wish you'd told me sooner…about the two of you" she added, gesturing between her and Charles. "Hearing it from Cheryl Sussman was like a slap in the face."

A fresh wave of guilt washed over Liza. "Diana, I'm sorry-"

"I know" Diana interrupted, "You said that already. But with this and your ridiculous lie about your age, it just seems like I'm the last to know. And you know I don't like being the last to know things."

"Diana, I promise you it wasn't intended that way. We wanted to tell you ourselves, but Cheryl beat us to it."

"How does she even know anyway? Considering she put 28 in quotation marks, I'm guessing she knows about your age too."

"I used to work with her at Random House back when I really was in my twenties – she's been trying to blackmail me for the past 18 months." Liza blushed as she added the next part, "And she knows about me and Charles because she saw me coming out of his room in Frankfurt."

"She always was a jealous bitch" Diana replied, causing Liza to laugh in surprise.

The two women shared a small smile and a sense of understanding and solidarity passed between them. Liza got the feeling that they might just be okay.

"Look, I can't say that I'm totally fine with all of this yet" Diana continued, "…but I was watching the two of you when I came downstairs, and I saw how happy and relaxed you were. I thought back to all the times I'd seen you together at the office – you always looked so comfortable, and I never thought anything of it before. But now I see it – it's not the fling I thought it was - you love each other."

Liza felt her face heating up, and stealing a glance at Charles she saw her blush was reflected on his cheeks. Although she felt it, and she was pretty sure Charles did too – at least she hoped he did, they hadn't actually verbalised those feelings yet.

Diana smirked, correctly interpreting their blushes. "Oh, I'm sorry – have you not said that yet?"

Liza could tell that Diana was not in the slightest bit sorry and was very much enjoying their embarrassment. Given everything that had happened recently though, she'd let her have this one.

Diana seemed to be on a roll now and turned to Charles, "What on God's green earth made you decide to put Kelsey in charge though?"

"I didn't have much of a choice" Charles began tentatively, "Quinn found out about Liza and I and said she wouldn't be able to spin it to her investors. We needed her money or the company would have gone under. She wanted Millennial to head up Empirical and so someone from Millennial had to step in as publisher – so it was either Kelsey or Liza, and I couldn't promote Liza above Kelsey because that would just look like nepotism." Charles sighed and Liza knew he felt guilty too for how things had worked out with Diana. "Please don't think that I don't value you Diana, because I do – you've been one of my most loyal employees for over a decade, and I also consider you a friend. If it was up to me then I'd have handed over the reigns to you, but this was the only way to keep the company alive. I'm trusting you to keep the Empirical side of things running though."

Diana gave him a small smile and Liza could tell that his words meant a lot to her. "Thank you Charles. I'll do whatever I can to keep Empirical running smoothly."

Charles smiled, "I know you will."

Diana nodded and stood up. Liza guessed she'd reached her limit on sentimentality for one morning. "Right, well…I should get going. I need to hibernate until this hangover wears off." After ordering an Uber on her phone she frowned as she looked up at Liza, "Did I say anything when we got back here last night?...I have a niggling feeling that I should be embarrassed about something. I tend to be a little more verbose when I've had a few drinks."

Liza put on her best surprised face as she replied, "Really? I hadn't noticed. And nope, you were totally out of it – didn't say a thing."

* * *

Liza and Charles walked her to the door and watched her walk down the steps to her cab. Diana paused and turned back towards them before getting in. "Not that you need it, but…you have my blessing."

Liza beamed as she watched the cab drive off until it was out of sight. She didn't need Diana's blessing, but it meant a lot to her to have it.

Closing the door behind them, she grinned at Charles as he took her hand and led her into the sitting room. "Well that went better than expected."

Charles smiled warmly at her as he sat down on the couch and pulled her into his lap, "I told you she'd come around."

"Maybe I should listen to you more often" she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Maybe you should" he replied, causing her to giggle. "And on that note, I was thinking, maybe we could go bed shopping today?"

Liza smiled in amusement. He did look quite comical crammed into her 'cosy' bed with his feet hanging over the end. "Will you not stay over anymore if I don't get a new bed?" she teased.

"Liza, I'd sleep on the floor if it meant getting to spend the night with you" he replied, and she was pretty sure her heart just melted. She'd never met anyone with such a way with words as him. "I just thought that if we're going to be sleeping over a lot, I could treat you to an adult sized mattress, and in doing so also treat my neck."

Liza chuckled at the memory from a few nights ago. "You do remember my bed wasn't the reason for your sore neck though right?" Charles just smirked and she felt her insides liquify. Leaning in so their lips were just millimetres apart she murmured, "Feel like getting a sore neck right now?"

He answered her by standing, scooping her into his arms bridal style and carrying her back to bed. "Your wish is my command."

It was a very good day.


	4. No Competition

**AN: **As always, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews on the previous chapter – I really do appreciate them!

This first part of this chapter is based on a clip we saw in the promo, and the second part is based on some SM photos of Liza and Charles filming at that location. Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think :)

* * *

**Friday evening:**

LIZA

Liza smiled as she admired her new dress in her bedroom mirror, loving how it floated when she twirled around. She'd bought it on a recent shopping trip with Caitlin during spring break, and had fell in love with it straight away. It was a floor length, navy blue chiffon dress with a halter-neck and plunging neckline. She thought of Charles when she saw it hanging there in the store, navy blue having become intrinsically linked to him, which only made her love it more. Caitlin had whistled and commented _'Wow! Mom, you look hot!' _when she tried it on, and so with her daughter's commendation it had been an easy sale.

She had the perfect chance to wear it tonight as it was 'date night' - Charles was taking her out for dinner to celebrate finishing her first week as 'Executive Editor'. Liza knew it must be weird for him watching her leave for work and not go in himself too, but he'd been nothing but supportive. They'd talked and he'd assured her he was fine, and happy with his decision. She could tell he meant it, and maybe in some way it was a relief for him to take his foot off the pedal after so long and not have the survival of the company constantly resting on his shoulders. Regardless though, it was a huge change and she endeavoured to keep an eye on him and to do whatever she could to make sure he stayed happy.

Liza glanced at the clock when she heard the door buzz, and smiled at the fact that he was twenty minutes early. _'Maybe he's looking forward to tonight as much as I am' _she thought happily. She heard Maggie open the door, followed by footsteps and muffled voices. Liza called out to her with a smirk as she threw the last of her things into her overnight bag. "Hey Mags, tell Charles to get in here and help me with my zipper!" She'd missed him at work today and as he was early she wanted to say hello to him properly.

There was a pause and then Maggie replied, "Erm, it's not Charles."

Liza frowned, confused about who else it would be as Maggie hadn't mentioned having anyone over tonight. Picking up her bag she stepped out of her room and was more than a little surprised to find Josh standing next to Maggie in the kitchen. "Josh! Hi…I erm, wasn't expecting you" she greeted awkwardly, realising he'd heard her not so subtle comment about Charles. Even though Josh was technically married and she hadn't hidden her relationship with Charles from him, Josh had made no secret of the fact he wasn't a fan of it – which never failed to make things awkward.

Josh took in her appearance along with the overnight bag in her hand, correctly computing who she was going to meet. "Clearly" he deadpanned. "Hot date?"

"Charles and I are going to dinner" Liza told him simply.

She didn't miss how his jaw clenched and the look of annoyance that crossed his features as he snarked, "Still sneaking around with the boss then?"

Liza resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his continued snide comments. She was in a good mood and wasn't about to let anything ruin it. "No to both actually – it's all out in the open now, and he's not my boss anymore" she told him firmly. "But if you're asking if we're still together, then yes – we are. I'm happy Josh – I'd like it if you could be happy for me." She really would like for them to be friends, because she cared about him, but he seriously had to let go of the chip on his shoulder first in order for that to happen.

Josh didn't reply and looked appropriately chastised as he sat down heavily on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.

Maggie came over to where Liza was still standing in front of her bedroom and zipped up her long forgotten zipper. "I know you were probably hoping Charles would help you _unzip _this, but I guess you'll have to hold out 'til later for that" she teased. Liza scowled at Maggie – she knew her too well.

Taking the seat next to Josh as Maggie poured him some coffee, Liza noticed that he looked a little more stressed than she would expect if he was just pissed off about her and Charles. "Are you okay?"

Josh exhaled loudly. "Well, Claire's back. Oh, and she's pregnant" he stated simply, his tone belying the magnitude of the situation.

Liza's eyebrows rose, not having expected that. "Wow – that's quite the bombshell! …And how do you feel about that?"

Josh rubbed his face roughly with his hands and then looked between her and Maggie as he replied, "Honestly, I still haven't got my head around it. My head's just messed up - I don't know what to think."

Maggie paused for a moment and then frowned, "Wait, so she just turns up here after 7/8 months and tells you she's having your kid...and you're just taking her word for it?"

"Oh, she's definitely pregnant!" Josh replied.

Maggie rolled her eyes, "I mean, we don't even know that it's Josh's kid."

It was Josh's turn to frown now, "She said she hasn't been with anyone else."

Maggie patted him on the arm and said sympathetically, "Sweetie, just because someone says they haven't been with anyone else, doesn't necessarily mean they haven't."

"But why would she lie? I mean, they're already married, so she doesn't need Josh to be the father for a green card" Liza reasoned. Admittedly she didn't know Claire that well, but she didn't seem the type to lie about something like that.

Josh looked completely overwhelmed as he looked to the two of them for answers, "What do you think I should do?"

"You should talk to her. You can always do a paternity test, but this baby deserves to know his or her father" Liza told him calmly. Josh nodded but didn't say anything. "I think this could be a good thing for you – you've always wanted kids."

Josh sighed, "Yeah but this isn't how I imagined it happening."

"I freaked out when I found out about Caitlin too, but surprise babies can end up being the best thing you ever did."

"You didn't seem to feel that way when you thought that we might be pregnant" Josh retorted.

Liza bit her tongue again, giving him a pass as he had a lot on his mind. They'd had this conversation too many times though for him still not to get it. "You know that's different - I don't want another baby. I wouldn't change Caitlin for the world, but I served my time of diapers and night feeds in my 20's - that's not something I want to repeat in my 40's." Josh looked like that wasn't the answer he was hoping for, but she'd explained it often enough and her opinion wasn't going to change. "But you're both young - you still have the energy for all of that."

Josh dropped his head into his hands. "I have no idea how to be a father. I'm scared Liza."

Liza felt for him – he was a couple of years older than she was when she had Caitlin, but he was still very young, and she remembered the sheer terror she'd felt when she first found out she was pregnant. "Wanna know a secret? None of us know what we're doing when we become parents - we're all just winging it!"

"And you've got two ready-made aunts on hand to help out" Maggie added as she got up to answer the door that had just buzzed.

Josh still looked terrified, so Liza squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. "It's gunna be fine."

Liza turned towards the door and smiled widely at Charles who had just stepped inside. "Hey!" she greeted him cheerfully, standing up. He was looking effortlessly immaculate as always, in his tailored suit that fit him like a glove. She frowned though when he didn't return her smile, instead looking conflicted and uncomfortable as he hovered by the door.

"Hi" he replied, but it was lacking his usual warmth and enthusiasm. "It's good to see you again Maggie" he added, giving her best friend a small smile before turning and nodding at Josh, "Josh."

"Hey" Josh replied after a pause, his tone equally unenthusiastic.

Liza looked between the two men, whose eyes were still locked on each other. _'Ah' _she thought as realisation dawned on her - having the past and present boyfriends in the same room never usually worked out so well.

Charles looked back at her. "I'll just wait in the car" he added, and then disappeared out of the apartment before she had chance to say anything.

Liza sighed, ignoring the slight smirk on Josh's face as she picked up her bag and made her way over to the door. "I'll see you guys later."

Maggie followed her out into the hallway and Liza turned back towards her. "I wasn't imagining that tension, was I?"

Maggie gave her a sympathetic smile, "You remember how you felt seeing Charles with the ex?" Yes, Liza definitely remembered having more than a few uncharitable thoughts about Pauline whenever she so much as stood too close to Charles or put a hand on his arm. "…I'd say Charles has just had a dose of that."

Liza grimaced, knowing that wasn't a fun feeling. "I should go talk to him."

"I'm sure you can figure out a way to put a smile back on his face" Maggie teased.

Liza rolled her eyes in amusement, "Goodbye Maggie!"

* * *

As she closed the front door behind her, Liza found Charles leaning against the side of his car with his hands in his pockets – looking every bit like a GQ model, without even trying. He looked up as she made her way over to him and gave her a small smile. "You look beautiful" he told her softly.

Liza's heart clenched. She could read it in his eyes that he was upset, but being the gentleman that he was, he still wanted to make sure that she felt good.

She smiled warmly at him, "Thank you."

Charles paused for a moment, looking like he was contemplating what to say, as a mixture of emotions resonated across his face. When he looked in her eyes as he finally did speak, Liza realised that Maggie had been right. "Liza…am I competing with Josh?"

Liza took his hand in hers and held his gaze. "No – not at all!" she assured him emphatically. "I care about Josh, but he's just a friend – there's no romantic feelings there anymore. You have nothing to worry about – I promise."

Charles dropped his head and blushed "I'm sorry, it's just…I've never felt this strongly about anyone before. And now that I know what it's like to be with you, the idea of losing you is more than I can bear."

Liza felt a rush of love for him at his words, and the sheer vulnerability in his eyes. She knew it wasn't easy for him to be this open about his feelings, and she appreciated the effort he'd made since they'd got together to be more open and not to keep everything to himself. He knew he'd made some mistakes in his marriage to Pauline, and he'd told her he didn't want to make the same mistakes again with her. He was trying, and she loved him all the more for it.

She stepped into him, removing the remaining distance betweeen them and took his other hand in hers so that she was holding both. Looking him in the eyes she smiled, leaving no room for doubt as she told him, "I'm not going anywhere – I'm exactly where I want to be." She was relieved when Charles responded with a beautiful smile of his own. "You remember what I said to you before I left for my first day at Empirical 2.0?" Charles grinned as he realised what she was talking about. "I mean, granted it was a little unplanned and ineloquent, but I meant it - I love you." It was cathartic to say it, and she loved the look of awe in his eyes at her words. Liza hadn't seen his reaction the first time as she'd been so shocked that the words had slipped out that she'd practically ran out of the apartment. "I have done for a long time. And you know, if it had been you who'd been the fake twenty-something, then I'd have had feelings for you for 16 years too" she added, referencing the heartwarming line he'd given her when he'd assured her that her feelings for him were mutual.

Charles rewarded her with that look of pure adoration – the one he reserved solely for her and that made her heart swell with emotion. He cupped her cheek with his hand as he replied softly, "You're wrong about one thing: it wasn't ineloquent - it was perfect. Hearing you say those words to me, the ones I'd been longing to say to you for so long, meant more than you'll ever know."

Liza wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him to her. "What words had you been longing to say exactly?" she teased.

Charles smiled in amusement. "I think you know" he murmured against her lips.

"Hmmm, well, my memory's not what it used to be. Maybe you should remind me."

Charles chuckled, "Liza" he pronounced, the mirth in his eyes betraying his faux serious tone.

"Charles" she countered, her voice breaking into a giggle at their little game.

Charles rested his forehead on hers and her face broke out into a huge grin, knowing what his next words were going to be. "I love you" he told her softly, and she knew with absolute clarity that she would never tire of hearing him say that.

"Oh, those words!" she teased, causing him to laugh. "Good, because I love you too." She leaned up and kissed him soundly, demonstrating with actions the words that were now so easy to profess. "Now come on, take me to dinner - I'm starving!"

* * *

**Two days later:**

CHARLES

Charles placed a tender kiss on the top of Liza's head, that was resting on his shoulder as they lay curled up together in his bed. Both of their bodies were covered in a light sheen of sweat from their very pleasurable morning activities, and the warmth of her skin seeped into his as he held her in his arms. He idly traced circles on her arm with his fingers, basking in the feeling of total relaxation.

"Are you sure you don't mind picking the girls up from their ballet class this afternoon?" he asked softly. She'd offered yesterday when he realised he wouldn't be able to get there in time, but he didn't want her to feel obliged or like he was taking advantage.

Liza turned her head and grinned cheekily up at him, "After that performance I'm pretty sure you could ask me anything and I'd agree!"

Charles smirked, a surge of male pride shooting through him at the satiated look on her face. He bent his head, murmuring against her lips, "I'll bear that in mind for future reference", before kissing her softly.

Liza giggled and kissed him again, before settling back down on his chest, her arm draped across his stomach. "Seriously though, of course I don't mind picking them up. It'll be nice to spend some time with them, and I am their favourite babysitter!"

"They do love spending time with you." Charles smiled, a warm feeling flooding through him. He loved that Liza genuinely cared for his daughters, and how well they'd taken to her. "But for the record, they've thought of you as more than just a babysitter for a long time. They love you, and so does their father."

"I love them too. They're great kids" Liza replied affectionately.

"I shouldn't be too long with Zane – I just need to hash out some details with him before nest week. I'll come meet you when I'm done, maybe we can take the girls for pizza or to Battery Park?" Spending time with his three favourite people sounded like the perfect way to spend the afternoon.

He could feel Liza smile against his chest as she agreed with his thoughts, "That sounds nice."

Charles pulled her tighter against him and closed his eyes in a contented bliss he'd been experiencing a lot of lately – thanks in whole to the woman in his arms. He'd chastised himself for feeling insecure and jealous at seeing Josh at Liza's apartment on Friday night. He'd felt foolish afterwards, given that he was a fully grown 46-year-old man and not a high schooler. Despite this fact though, he hadn't been able to control the surge of jealousy at seeing them together. It wasn't a feeling he was used to, and it was definitely not one he enjoyed. Rationally he knew that there was nothing going on between them, but in matters of the heart, feelings were rarely rational. It was like he told her – he'd never felt like this about anyone before, including Pauline, and it was the fear of losing her that made him act a little crazy sometimes. Liza's assurance that he had nothing to worry about, broke him out of the jealous fog that had clouded his mind, and he vowed to not let fear ruin the amazing thing that they had. Hearing her say 'I love you' also set his soul alight, and sent images flashing through his mind of the two of them, twenty years from now, strolling hand in hand through Central Park, reminiscing about how it all began and still just as enraptured with each other.

They lay like that, happy just to be in each other's arms, for as long as possible until they absolutely had to get up. Liza had smirked in amusement at his suggestion that they shower together to 'save time', but did however agree to said suggestion. Needless to say, time was not saved, and he was in fact late for his meeting with Zane. It was however, totally worth it.

* * *

LIZA

When Liza had arrived at the ballet studio in Lower Manhattan, the girls had beamed and yelled her name as they excitedly ran over to her, wrapping their small arms around her waist and almost knocking her over with their enthusiasm. Liza hugged them back and loved that they were so happy to see her. They each took one of her hands as they skipped down the sidewalk, eagerly filling her in on what they'd learnt in their class and insisting that she absolutely had to come to their recital in three weeks time. Liza had promised them that if they wanted her to be there then she would be honoured to attend. Bianca had grinned widely and assured Liza that she'd do her very best dancing.

Charles had texted her whilst they were strolling through Washington Square Park to say he'd almost finished and would meet them in an hour. Liza had snapped a picture of the three of them beaming widely by the fountain, Bianca sat on her lap and Nicole standing behind her, arms wrapped around Liza's neck. She sent it to him with the caption, _'Your 3 girls are having fun!'. _He texted back _'My 3 girls are my new screensaver."_

As she watched the girls play, Liza remembered a place nearby that she'd taken Caitlin to when she was younger and they'd visited the city. She was pretty sure the girls would love it too, and seeing their wide-eyed excitement as they stood outside 'Little Cupcake Bakeshop', she knew she'd been right.

"Can we get cupcakes?" Bianca asked eagerly, literally bouncing up and down on the spot.

Nicole gave her the patented puppy dog eyes and echoed her sister's sentiments. Liza smiled warmly at them, understanding how they had Charles so effortlessly wrapped around their little fingers. "Well of course we can!" Liza told them enthusiastically, "We can't come to a cupcake shop and _not _get cupcakes now can we!"

Liza chuckled as the girls squealed in excitement and practically dragged her through the door. As they stood at the counter, the girls were overwhelmed with the sheer volume of sugary goodness on display. After much deliberation, Nicole opted for a 'Brooklyn Blackout' cupcake "because you live in Brooklyn Liza" she'd explained simply, causing Liza's heart to melt a little. Bianca went for the 'Dreaming Princess' option, most likely due to her love of all things princesses. Liza had grinned as she perused the menu and ordered two 'German Chocolate' cupcakes for her and Charles, in honour of all the fun they'd had in Frankfurt, and how much she'd loved hearing him speak German. Two strawberry milkshakes were also added to their order for the girls, plus a coffee for herself – Liza knew they'd be on a major sugar high after this, but seeing the smiles on their faces she couldn't bring herself to feel too guilty.

The waitress who brought their order over to their table cooed over the girls and how polite they were, commenting that Liza must be very proud of them. Liza suddenly realised that the waitress presumed that she was their mother, and wasn't sure what to say as she didn't want the girls to feel awkward or like she was trying to take their mother's place. Glancing at them though, they just smiled widely at the waitress' comment. Liza returned their smile, and decided to stop overthinking, "I am – very proud."

Half way through their cupcakes, Bianca looked inquisitively up at Liza and asked, "Are you and Daddy gunna get married?"

Liza choked on her German Chocolate. Clearly they'd read into the waitress' comment! "M-married?" she stuttered after taking a sip of her coffee to calm her coughing fit and to attempt to buy some time for her brain to come up with suggestions for how best to handle this conversation. She was definitely in it for the long haul with Charles, but they hadn't broached the subject of marriage yet. Bianca however appeared to think that they should have.

"You love him don't you?" Nicole pointed out, and Liza could detect the challenge in her statement and hint of protectiveness in her tone. She may only be 10, but she was the oldest and she'd taken on the role of looking out for her dad.

Liza smiled warmly at her – this was a much easier question to answer. "I do love him, yes – very much."

Nicole beamed, clearly happy with that answer, and Liza felt like she'd passed the protective daughter test. "Daddy loves you too – he's always smiling when he talks about you."

"And when people love each other they get married, right?" Bianca reasoned.

From the wealth of relationship knowledge they'd gathered from Disney movies, Liza realised that for them, that was their understanding of how things worked. _'Everything is so much simpler through the eyes of a child' _she thought. "That's true, people do get married when they love each other" she agreed, hoping that that would satisfy their curiosity and that they wouldn't notice she hadn't answered their original question.

"So are you and Daddy gunna get married then?" Bianca persisted. She evidently had noticed that her original question had indeed not been answered. These girls were relentless! Liza could see them having very successful careers in journalism given their invasive questioning skills!

"Well…" Liza began, blushing under the intense scrutiny of the two little girls in front of her, who were totally focussed on her and waiting for her response. Liza knew that there was no way she was getting out of this without giving them an answer. "…that's something that might happen in the future, but it's a little soon to be talking about that just yet…" Liza realised that in their experience, the girl met the prince, fell in love and got married, all in the space of a ninety minute movie…so trying to get them to understand the complexities of timing in relationships would be futile. She was sure the girls looked disappointed at hearing the latter half of her explanation. "But if that is something that we decide to do, then you will be the first to know."

The girls noticeably perked up at this assurance. "When you get married, can we be bridesmaids?!" Bianca asked excitedly.

'_Oh dear God – they'll be booking venues and ordering flower arrangements next!' _Liza thought. She noticed Bianca's use of 'when' rather than 'if' and had to smile at her enthusiasm. It was after all a compliment that they wanted her to be a permanent part of Charles', and by default – their, lives. She leaned towards them across the table, placing a hand on one each of theirs, "If we do get married in the future then, of course you'll be my bridesmaids – I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Both girls giggled in excitement and Liza couldn't help but laugh with them – their happiness was infectious. She just hoped they didn't go and tell Charles that 'Liza said that you and her are going to get married', because that would just be totally mortifying.

Liza saw Nicole's eyes flick quickly to the side before looking back at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "If Daddy proposed, would you say yes?"

Liza was rendered speechless as she stared open mouthed at the eldest Brooks girl, who looked rather amused and pleased with herself. Images of Charles down on one knee, holding a ring out to her, as he looked at her like she was his whole world flashed through her mind, and a tingle ran down her spine. They both had baggage and complicated pasts, but she knew in that moment that her answer would wholeheartedly be yes. "Erm…" she stuttered.

"Hi!" Liza was saved from having to answer by Charles greeting them as he appeared next to their table. The smirk on his face told her that he'd overheard Nicole's question, and she blushed furiously, wandering just how much of their conversation he'd been privy too. She also hoped he couldn't read the thoughts that had just been going through her mind!

* * *

CHARLES

Liza had texted him just as he was finishing up with Zane to say that she and the girls were at Little Cupcake Bakeshop, together with a photo of the girls with their faces pressed against the glass counter as they stared at all of the cakes. He'd smiled affectionately, knowing the girls would be in their element, considering their love of all things sweet, and basking in how well his three girls were getting on.

He'd quickly ordered a cab, eager to get to them. As he pulled open the door to the bakeshop, he smiled as he spotted them straight away. Liza had her back to him and the girls were on the other side of the table, facing her. They hadn't noticed his presence yet and he was about to go over to them when their conversation stopped him in his tracks.

"Are you and Daddy gunna get married?" his youngest daughter asked. Charles felt like he should go and rescue Liza from his progeny's inquisition, but his desire to hear her answer kept his feet firmly rooted to the ground as he waited with bated breath to hear what she would say.

"M-married?" Liza stuttered, and he was pretty sure Bianca's question had caught her so off guard that she was now choking on whatever had been in her mouth.

"You love him don't you?" Nicole prodded, and Charles smiled at her loyalty and protectiveness of him.

Liza's answer to this question came much quicker, and it warmed his heart to hear, just as much as it had done the first time she'd told him. "I do love him, yes – very much."

His eldest daughter beamed at Liza's words and then added, "Daddy loves you too – he's always smiling when he talks about you." His girls were more observant than he gave them credit for. Either that or he was so blatantly in love with Liza that it was obvious to anyone whenever he so much as said her name. Charles had a feeling it had more to do with the latter.

"And when people love each other they get married, right?" Bianca reasoned.

Liza paused and Charles could imagine her trying to figure out how to handle his daughters' determined questioning. "That's true, people do get married when they love each other."

"So are you and Daddy gunna get married then?" Bianca persisted. Charles had to bite back a laugh – his daughter was nothing if not persistent!

"Well…" Liza began, and he literally stopped breathing in anticipation of her response. He couldn't say the thought of Liza becoming his wife hadn't crossed his mind, because it had – numerous times. He knew it was relatively early on in their relationship, but he felt like they'd known each other forever and being with her just felt so right. There were times when he'd see her laughing with the girls, or when he'd watch her sleeping in the morning when he woke up before her, that he couldn't help but imagine himself standing at the end of an aisle, getting choked up as he watched Liza walk towards him, the world around them disappearing as they said 'I do'.

"…that's something that might happen in the future, but it's a little soon to be talking about that just yet…" Charles' heart fluttered in his chest and he let out the breath he'd forgotten he was holding. Liza was open to the idea of spending the rest of her life with him, and the thought of asking her the question his daughters kept referring to, became more and more appealing.

"But if that is something that we decide to do, then you will be the first to know." Charles smiled warmly at how easily Liza put a smile on his girls' faces, and how she sensed their desire to be included.

"When you get married, can we be bridesmaids?!" Bianca asked excitedly. Charles didn't miss her use of 'when' instead of 'if' – it seemed his daughter was just as keen to make Liza a permanent fixture in their lives as he was.

When Liza added, "If we do get married in the future, then of course you'll be my bridesmaids – I wouldn't have it any other way!", Charles was half inclined to just drop down on one knee there and then.

Nicole noticed him then and her eyes caught his quickly, before setting back on Liza with a mischievous look that he was very familiar with. "If Daddy proposed, would you say yes?"

Charles knew that question was for his benefit, and as much as he wanted to hear the answer, it was definitely time to rescue Liza.

"Hi!"

The adorable blush that coloured her cheeks at realising he had overheard at least part of what they'd been talking about, made him fall in love with her all over again.

"Hi Daddy!" Bianca greeted him, "We were just talking about weddings."

If it was possible, Liza turned an even deeper shade of red and he had to bite back a smile. "We erm, we got you a cupcake" she interjected, thrusting a rich chocolate pecan concoction towards him. "It's German Chocolate."

Charles grinned, "Good choice – Germany definitely holds some fond memories."

Liza returned his smile, forgetting some of her earlier embarrassment, "That's why I chose it."

If she could read his mind, she'd see the many scenarios he was imagining of a future in which he could find out the answers to his young daughters' questions for real.


End file.
